NDLEA seizes cocaine, opioids hidden in sanitary pads, hair cream bound for UK, Europe
By Adeyanju Esther
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has intercepted shipments of cocaine and pharmaceutical opioids hidden in sanitary pads and hair treatment cream containers, destined for the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Cyprus at three courier companies in Lagos.
Director of Media and Advocacy at NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja, Femi Babafemi, announced this in a statement on Sunday.
The NDLEA revealed that at one logistics company, officers from the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation (DOGI) recovered 30 parcels of cocaine, weighing 1.1 kilograms and hidden in hair cream containers, while inspecting cargoes destined for Ireland on Tuesday.
Babafemi also reported that another shipment containing 24 parcels of cocaine, weighing 862 grams and similarly concealed in hair cream containers, intended for delivery to the UK, was intercepted at the same company on Friday.
Similarly, the NDLEA reported that its operatives seized 525 pills of tramadol 225mg and ecstasy (MDMA), concealed in ladies’ sanitary pads and destined for Cyprus, at another courier company in Lagos on Tuesday, September 3rd. Additionally, on Wednesday, September 4th, they intercepted a shipment of 200 ampoules of promethazine and pentazocine injections hidden in food items and herbs, which were heading to London, UK.
According to Babafemi, NDLEA operatives also intercepted a shipment of tramadol 225mg concealed in granulated melon, which had originated from Cameroon and was en route to South Africa on Friday, September 6th.
“No fewer than 550,000 pills of tramadol were also intercepted at Port Harcourt International Airport on Monday, September 2nd. The seizure occurred during a joint inspection of cargo arriving from Delhi, India, conducted with the Nigerian Customs Service, and a suspect has been arrested in connection with the incident.
“In Ekiti State, NDLEA operatives, supported by the Nigerian Army, raided three camps in the Ise-Ekiti forest reserve, Ise/Orun Local Government Area, on Tuesday, September 3rd, and Wednesday, September 4th. During the operation, they destroyed over 100,000 kilograms of cannabis spread across 51 hectares of farmland.
“The affected areas included Aba Saalaja with 23 hectares, Aba Paanu with 12 hectares, and Aba Arogunmatidi with 16 hectares, all located within the Ise-Ekiti forest reserve.
“Two suspects, Bala Musa, 42, and Danladi Muhammad, 44, were arrested on Friday, September 6th, along the Toro-Jos road in Kaduna. They were found with 305 kg of cannabis hidden in a false compartment of a J5 Boxer bus with the registration number YLA 682 XM.
“Another suspect, Aminu Ayuba, 24, was arrested in possession of 18 kilograms of the same substance at Makarfi town. Two others, Umar Usman, 40, and Zubairu Kabiru, 45, were arrested along the Zaria-Kaduna highway in possession of 1,300 tablets of tramadol, all on the same day,” Babafemi said.
He added, “In Jigawa State, Uzairu Ya’u, 30, was arrested on Thursday, September 5th, with 32.6 kg of cannabis at Koran Shehu. In Kogi, on Wednesday, September 4th, operatives intercepted 77,300 pills of tramadol, diazepam, and Exol-5, along with 1,230 bottles of codeine in a commercial bus driven by Attai Okolo, 68, on the Aloma-Ejule road, Ofu LGA. Additionally, Mohammed Idris, 56, was apprehended on Tuesday, September 3rd, along the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway with 42.4 kg of cannabis, which was travelling from Lagos to Kano.
“NDLEA operatives in Borno State arrested Idris Muhammad, 40, in the Ramat area of Maiduguri on Thursday, September 5th, with 13,100 pills of tramadol. Meanwhile, in Kano, their counterparts detained Hakilu Usman, 35, on Wednesday, September 4th, with 25.8 kg of cannabis and 3,000 pills of diazepam along the Kano-Daura road.
“In Taraba, Musa Adamu, 30, was apprehended in Zing with 87,790 pills of tramadol. In Osun State, a raid on the residence of drug kingpin Mayowa Abayomi Awe (a.k.a. Bishop) in Ilesa on Wednesday, September 4th, resulted in the seizure of 43 grams of crack cocaine, 23 grams of methamphetamine, 17.126 kilograms of cannabis, and a locally made pistol.”
Reacting to these developments, NDLEA Chairman/CEO Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) praised the officers and teams from the DOGI, PHIA, Ekiti, Kano, Osun, Taraba, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kogi, Bauchi, and Borno Commands for their successful arrests and seizures.
Marwa acknowledged their operational successes and those of their colleagues nationwide, expressing deep appreciation. He urged them to remain vigilant and continue to enhance their efforts in reducing both drug supply and drug demand.
